Levi Celerio

Levi Celerio (April 30, 1910 – April 2,

2002) was a Filipino composer and lyricist
who is credited to writing not less than
4,000 songs. Celerio was recognized as a
National Artist of the Philippines for Music
and Literature in 1997.
• He is also known for using the leaf as a musical
instrument which led to being recognized as the "only
man who could play music using a leaf" by the
Guinness Book of Records. This led to him making
guest appearance in television shows recorded outside
the Philippines.

• Aside from being a musician, Celerio is also poet. He

was also a film actor who appeared in various
Philippine films of the 1950s and 1960s.
  
Early life and education

Levi Celerio was born on April 30, 1910, in

Tondo, Manila to Cornelio Cruz and Juliana
Celerio and was born to a poor family. Celerio's
affinity for music was a result of influence from
his mother who is a harpist and a member of a
church choir. He was estranged from his father
who is involved in the real estate and jewelry
business. His father was never married to his
mother.
• His mother encouraged him to be involved in music
as a distraction from the squalid conditions of their
neighborhood. Despite of this, Celerio became a close
acquaintance of gang leader Asiong Salonga. At his
mother's encouragement Celerio started playing the
violin at age 11 taking lessons from a member of the
Philippine Constabulary Band. Celerio later
performed with the band as its member while
simultaneously attending Torres High School. It was
during in his high school years, Celerio learned about
his father.
 Orchestral and poetry career

• Levi Celerio was a member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra

but his stint with the musical troupe ended when he fell off a tree
and broke his wrist. He temporarily worked as a comic illustrator
and later decided to shift to songwriting.

• Prior to turning to songwriting, Celerio got involved in poetry

and was a humorist in the orchestra of Premiere Productions. He
held high regard to poet, Jose Corazon de Jesus. However his
poems failed to gain positive reception and his works were
regarded as "lacking in style". Later in his career, he had Filipino
Palindromes and Take It From Levi, a collection of love poems
he wrote published.
 Songwriting

• Levi Celerio is credited for writing more than 4,000 songs,

many of which are dedicated to his wife and children. He
wrote Filipino folk, Christmas, and love songs and some of his
songs were used in feature films.
• Among Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs he composed
are "Ikaw", "Kahit Konting Pagtingin", "Saan Ka Man
Naroroon?". He wrote the lyrics of the famous Filipino
lullabye Sa Ugoy ng Duyan . He also composed folk songs
including "Ako ay May Singsing", "Ang Pipit", "Dungawin
Mo Hirang", "Itik-Itik", "Pitong Gatang", and "Waray-Waray"
"Sa Ugoy ng Duyan", in particular was a collaboration with
Lucio San Pedro, a fellow National Artist. The song is a carrier
song in Aiza Seguerra's gold album, Pinakamamahal.
 Awards and recognition
• National Artist for Music and Literature
• On October 9, 1997, pursuant to Proclamation
No. 1114, President Fidel V. Ramos
proclaimed him a National Artist for Music
and Literature. His citation read that his music
"was a perfect embodiment of the heartfelt
sentiments and valued traditions of the
Filipino".
• Celerio was known for using the leaf as a musical
instrument which resulted the Guinness Book of
World Records to recognized him as "the only man
who could play music with a leaf". According to
his daughter, he first learned to play the leaf as an
instrument during the World War II. According to
the account, he had to prove himself as a musician
when he had an encounter with Japanese soldiers.
He managed to pick a young leaf and play them a
song and he was left unscathed.
 Death and legacy

• Levi Celerio's grave at the Heroes' Cemetery in Taguig

• Celerio died in the afternoon of April 2, 2002 at the Delgado

Clinic in Kamuning, Quezon City due to multiple organ
dysfunction. He also had a prior episode of stroke.He was
buried with full military honors at the Heroes' Cemetery
(Libingan ng mga Bayani).

• On his 108th Birth Anniversary on April 30, 2018, Google

Philippines featured Celerio in a Google Doodle.
Thank You!!